After several days of trekking, Chang'an was in sight. Hao Gou'er opened his eyes wide and looked at the city wall in the distance, trying hard to see clearly that this capital city was more impressive than Hanzhong.
However, what disappointed him was that although Chang'an had a large population, the city was not much larger than Hanzhong City, and even seemed a bit messy and disorderly.
If Hanzhong City is worthy of the title of Longxing City, Chang'an, as the capital, is too old and feels like an embarrassment.
But Hao Gouer was still excited. He saw teams coming from all directions, saw flags waving at the top of the city, and felt a vigorous vitality.
"Northern expedition to drive out the captives! Restore the Central Plains!"
On the crowded official road, a shout suddenly rang out.
Soon someone responded and shouted: "Take advantage of the victory and go north! Drive the captives! Drive the captives!"
"Wan Sheng!"
Hao Erfu was startled, shook his head and said: "Young people have no place to spend their energy. They are shouting nonsense even if their voices are hoarse."
Fan Xueyi seems to be a well-mannered person, but when he speaks, he doesn't know much about it. He speaks plainly and in plain English.
The young people shouted "Northern Expedition to drive out the captives", becoming more and more excited and reverberating with passion.
At this time, the people standing there were all farmers who had come to apply for the army. They couldn't give orders like soldiers, so they couldn't help but talk in low voices.
Hao Gouer turned his head and reminded in a low voice: "Uncle Sun Liu, stop talking."
"Your Majesty doesn't know something." Han Chengxu sighed: "What the veterans are worried about is not Yuan Yan's career, but her marriage."
Each of them wore a sword, and the red tassel on the sword swayed slightly, adding to their heroic spirit.
But now, he was afraid of more things. He was afraid that his old mother would be sad, that his newlywed wife would be widowed, and that the family members of his soldiers would bear such pain, so he began to become more cautious.
Lu Xiaoyou scratched his head again when he asked, looking a little unsure.
"Brother Jiang? Where are you going?"
"Huh? Why don't you go accompany Sister Mingyue and the others?"
Li Xia sat alone for a while, then started to drive, but first chatted with Zhang Wenjing.
Li Xia gradually couldn't say anything and just listened silently.
Thinking back carefully, it was the first time that Li Xia spent a lot of time chatting like this.
"Yes, his official position shouldn't be very high. He seems to be just a small quartermaster in charge of us people."
Whether full of vigor, mature and stable, civilians, or generals, all kinds of people made preparations on the eve of the Northern Expedition.
Fan Xueyi was still explaining various matters at the end.
What's rare is that they are not discussing political matters, they are just sitting and talking about trivial matters.
"That's good……"
Lu Xiaoyou is already past this age.
"Although I saw that Your Majesty is extraordinary, I thought that at best he could defend the Song Dynasty. I didn't expect that. I didn't expect that my vision was too narrow."
~~
In Chang'an City, Lu Xiaoyou's family also talked about the swearing-in ceremony.
When he was young, he was also so passionate and impulsive. He followed Li Xia into the palace and never thought about the serious consequences of that matter. He just did it.
But in fact, Hao Gouer was also very interested in the topic Sun Laoliu and the others were talking about, and had already understood it clearly.
"His Majesty will take the oath of oath at the Temple of Heaven on the outskirts of the city early in the morning. We will take a rest tomorrow and get up early the day after tomorrow to attend the swearing-in ceremony."
The team continued forward and finally unloaded the food and grass.
"Is it okay for you and your mother to stay at home?"
"I just heard what the princes said about your second brother and Yuan Yan. I thought that Yuan Yan should have quite a network in the north. How about you also arrange for her to join the team heading north?"
"You are going to go on an expedition after taking the oath of war, right?"
"It's the same in my family." Wang Cui whispered: "If you live a good life, why would you send your daughter to practice martial arts?"
The person in charge of military supplies for the entire Northern Expedition this time was Lu Xiufu. Many policies, including allowing the Hao family and his son to transport grain from Hanzhong to Guanzhong, were all written by him. Several mobilization letters in newspapers were signed by his name.
.
The next day, Lu Xiaoyou packed his bags, left his house in Chang'an, and rode towards the military camp outside the city.
"Surfing into the army."
Li Xia said: "She has done a good job in official duties over the years. For this mobilization of the Northern Expedition, public opinion is so supportive, and she has made a great contribution. Just because she is a daughter will not affect her official career."
He will not yell before going to war, but will save his strength for the battlefield.
…
Li Ye said: "I have met the Erlang of the Zhang family twice before. He is outstanding in every aspect and is a perfect match for her. If I can't even look down on Erlang Zhang, I'm afraid it will be difficult..."
~~
That night, in the Chang'an Palace, Li Xia was chatting with Han Chengxu, Han Qi'an, Yang Guo, Li Ye and other ministers who had returned from the north.
He planned to take Zhang Wenjing and Han Qiaoer with him this time. At this time, Zhang Wenjing was still packing her luggage and was a little surprised when she saw Li Xia coming.
Wang Cui said: "The princess seems to be busy with new things recently. She seems to have adapted to life in Chang'an."
"There should be bigger ones up there, right?"
This was a question he had been thinking about a lot recently. He was afraid that if he died on the battlefield of the Northern Expedition, marrying Wang Cui would harm her. It would be better to let her stay with the princess all the time.
On the contrary, these important ministers are already very old, and there is not much time left to chat with them.
Li Xia asked again: "I heard that Yuan Yan also plans to return to Shanxi after the Northern Expedition?"
"Hello fellow villagers, my name is Fan Xueyi, and I am your baggage officer. From now on, Lao He and I will take you to transport food to the front."
Yang Guo waved his hands repeatedly and said: "Your Majesty loves me so much. I am too old and no longer useful."
Hao Erfu quickly said: "Dog, stop looking."
Hao Gou'er stood on tiptoes and looked ahead, searching for the group of young people with his eyes.
Several people from Beigui were very close friends with Yuan Haowen, and they couldn't help but sigh when talking about this topic.
"But my family comes from a farmer's family, so I'm afraid you won't be used to it if you marry me."
"Then I've long seen that I have a higher vision than you." Han Chengxu laughed and said: "After the Northern Expedition is successful, it's time for you and me to live together until old age."
Soon he found them, there were about five or six of them, all dressed as scholars, and the scholar's robes had also been improved. The sleeves were narrowed and the skirt was shortened, making them look taller and neater.
"I married you, but I have to go to war again... Can you rest assured about the princess? You can go there to accompany her from time to time."
Li Xia said: "Not only that, I also hope that Duke Yang will govern Shanxi."
"Who will join you?" Yang Guo said, "After the Northern Expedition is successful, I will return to my hometown in Shanxi."
Hao Gouer's eyes were already bright, and he was eager to go over and keep company with them, but he still had to push the cart.
Although she was a newlywed, Wang Cui was not squeamish at all. She nodded and said: "Okay, I have packed your luggage for you. Look, the wound medicine is here. If you are injured, you must apply this first.
"
"Yes, this girl's mind is probably not on her official career."
"Yes, I have to go back to the camp tomorrow."
When Hao Gou'er passed by them, he couldn't help singing a few lines along with him. Immediately, some young people cast enthusiastic eyes on him and waved to him.
Whenever these two concise and powerful words were heard, the atmosphere became more and more heated, and finally they started singing as if they were drunk.
Hao Erfu was a little nervous at first, but after waiting for a while, he found that their baggage officer was a young man who looked very kind.
It can be seen that when he was young, he was more passionate than these people.
Yang Guo didn't know how many times he mentioned this sentence tonight.
Thinking of this, Hao Gouer felt that he was one step closer to the person he admired and one step closer to his ambition.
Wang Cui saw it and said: "Brother Xiaoyou, you are a general. You don't have to worry about the trivial matters at home. My mother and I will take care of them."
"Yes." Yang Guo said: "I heard that since her husband passed away, there have been many marriage proposals, including Zhang Hongji. She didn't even take a fancy to her, so she just became a female crown prince."
"At that time, who would have thought that one day His Majesty would really embark on the Northern Expedition?"
Lu Xiaoyou listened carefully and took notes carefully.
"This officer looks young, doesn't he?"
This time, they were asked to gather together and be managed by a new baggage officer.
They didn't chat too late, and left around Xu Shi.
After ten years of struggle, everything that needs to be done has been done, and tomorrow we will take the oath to fight for the Northern Expedition. No matter what we do, it will have a very small effect compared to ten years of experience.
"After all, she is a woman."
These important ministers are usually enigmatic, but when it comes to these parents, they are not much different from ordinary women.
"There are a few things I have to tell you today. The first thing is to go to the front line. You must obey my orders. The battlefield is no joke. If you are not careful, you may lose your life. I hope to kill you all.
Take it with you, and then bring it all back with you..."
The closer we get to Chang'an City, there are more and more young people on the official roads, greeting each other.
He could also feel the atmosphere along the way.
He never does things perfunctorily, and faces even such trivial matters with a serious attitude.
The sky is gradually getting darker, and after the long night, it is the swearing-in meeting.
Zhang Wenjing was slightly surprised and responded: "It's okay. Sister Yuan is the most familiar with the literati in the north. She has been in the Propaganda Department for these years, so she should be helpful in recruiting the gentry."
After that, she smiled and said: "If second brother can see Sister Yuan this time, I'm afraid he will be very happy."
"can you?"
"I don't know, I'm just kidding. I think after so many years, my second brother must have let go..."